The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1887-02-24

the last very few years, the climate, sol
and people Of the South, have been tc
all the other States Of the Union as
the words OF u book that is sealed, and
it is only through the ministry of rail.
roads, and interstate military prize
drills, and Mardi Gras festivities,
and interstate agricultural conversations
like this, that the people Of the other
States are beginning to become &C.
quainted with the land and the peo-
pie of tho South. God grant that such
/ lacquaintaneeship may bud into esteem,
and blossom into friendship, and ripen
into love, and that the harvest home
may be peace aud happiness forever
Ladies', the delegates and visitors to
this convention arc profoundly CRATE
full TO you for honoriHgits opening
exercises with your presence. | will
not attempt the lmpossibility of add
ing anything to the meritcd compli-
ments and concentrations which have
just been pronounced upon you by
the eloquent Governor Of our State,
and will only say there will be many
questions discussed in this convention
Of especial interest to you, and that
you viii always be welcome at those
discussions.
And now, in conclusion, let me say
a word specially to those delegates and
visitors who have come two Thousand
miles from what are called the Western
States in our Biographies, but which
lie directly north Of Louisiana. The
people Of Lake Charles and Calcasieu
parish welcome you not only to oar
homes during this eonvcntion, but we
welcome you to permanent homes
among us. Within the last five years
many Of your neighbors have settled
on our prairies, and their delegates
are here to-day to tell you
they are happy and contentod
there. The Creator has aiFeady
welded the West to the South by the
strong tie of the Mississippi river, aud
our hearts echo the admonition
/" Whom God hath Joined together let
no man put asunder.' The sovereigns
of Europe, with sound Judgment, seek
to preserve peace and amity between
their respective States BY matrimonial
alliances with each other. With a
similar desire to maintain peace and
friendship with you, we ask you when
you return home to come back to US
again, and to bring with you, from
what Tennyson calls "the garden Of
girls" those fair daughters who Gil
your homes with the light aud warmth
of tilial love when your frozen fields are
white with snow, and under our sunny
Ikies let us together cherish and adj
nire the blended beauty Of the North
,rn lily and the Southern rose.
Rev, Mr.. Pinch, Of Cleburne, Texas,
hough not a native of the Lone Star
State, made very brief, humorous
peech in laudation Of the fertility of
he soil Of that State, citing as an in
tance the fact that the longer Texas
oil was cultivated the more fertile it
'ecome, as there was no bottom to the
Ioil.
Prof. Gully of Mississippi also made
short and humorous address, which
vas well received and heartily cheercd.
The Hon. L. s. Coffin, Of Iowa,
Chairman Of the Convention, in ans.
yer TO repeated calls made few tell.
ng remarks.
He said; "As l stated on taking
he chair, have all my life been a
armer---a practical farmer, and it has
'een my pride to be good farmer,
Applause. | have taken a great
leal Of interest in my old friend Prof,
Knapp, whom you have stolen from
IS, aud who We shall try aud iuduce
o come back TO Iowa. As he can
ell you, we had worked for 10 years
ogcther for the consummation Of the
biects for which this convention was
allied,
"This is one of the grandest mo-
nents of my life, 1t is one Of the
randcst exhibitions that the mind
an grasp-wheu the highest officials
/ city aud State extend the right
and Of welcome to such AN assem-
lage as this, dare not trust myself
0 talk as feel. thank God, from
Nv whole heart, for the spontaneous
reeting accorded me-
In closing, Mr., Coffin said "Wel
re homogeneous people; we are one
reat family enc great nation; and
phcn they have acquired sufficient
Intelligence TO act for themselves
here will DO 20 possibility Of dSiding
IS. As | said before, we are a Romeo
enous people; only as hours ago
+ only as hours before our
rival at jackson, Mississippi,
stood in my door on my farm in
owa, watching the huge load Of hay
'eiug hauled up and distributed to the
tock, The snow was two to three
Get deep.
a ana proud to be called a
armer, consider that the calling is |
,ne Of supreme independence, and let
ne say right here, that | would not
except in respectfully my hat to any
man, king or polentate, on earth, !
want TO say 4 word 10 The young man,
| wapt him 10 seek for himself homes
make q home for yopFselyesi 4 home
where you can walk AZ night and
mornipg home where you can en-
10y the privileges and biessings that
inlelllgenlly directed labor, i sure 70
bring, Tho Intelligent farmer brings
up from ihe soil that which makes hls
hone tho greatest - we'll as sbe 'npst
hallowed spot, and he u the mass iFee
aud independent man thar watka ths
faeo n lhe earth Applapae